Sri Lanka SIM card or eSIM from the UK: roaming costs and a round trip
In short
The right Sri Lanka SIM card, or eSIM, depends on your UK network. Sky charges £2 for 24 hours and EE £8 for 24 hours with 500MB (checked on 24 October 2026 and 24 October 2026, EE price guide, 31 March 2026). Our Sri Lanka eSIM from the UK is £6.99 for 5 GB over 30 days, a data-only eSIM.
Information verified on 26 October 2026 at the official sources listed below. This is not immigration or legal advice; check GOV.UK and the official website of your destination before you travel. How we check information.
On this page
eSIM for Sri Lanka from £2.99 — see plans At a glance
- Purchase QR code by email · after payment
- Installation profile on your phone · in advance
- Activation first network on the trip · the clock starts
Get an eSIM for Sri Lanka — from £2.99
This site is not affiliated with any of the networks mentioned here; we sell eSIMs. How we compare
You have four ways to stay connected: your UK network, a travel eSIM, a Sri Lankan SIM or a pocket Wi-Fi. You may not need an eSIM: Three Complete, O2 Ultimate and Sky VIP Diamond include Sri Lanka. Every other plan charges for it.
Sri Lanka is a long winter trip. Residents of Great Britain made 195,000 visits there in 2025, staying 18.8 nights on average, and 57.7% fell in the first and last quarters (our sum of ONS shares, 28.1% and 29.6%). 42.1% were visits to friends and relatives; the sample is small (ONS Travel trends 2025).
What do UK networks charge in Sri Lanka?
Roaming in Sri Lanka on UK networks costs £2 a day on Sky, £7 on O2 and £8 on EE, Three or Vodafone, unless your plan includes it. Six networks bill per MB, from 10p on SMARTY to £5 on Tesco. Every figure keeps your UK number; our plans are data only.
| Option | Price | What you need | Weak point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roaming on your UK network | Included on 1 of 15 UK networks, within fair use otherwise £2.00 to £60.00 a day or pass from about £1.75 per GB | Data roaming on; on some networks a pass bought before you fly | Paid passes cost more per GB than the eSIM |
| Pocket Wi-Fi router | Not verified | Collect it, keep it charged and return it | One connection for the group, only while you stay together |
| Local SIM bought on arrival | Not verified | A free SIM slot and a shop after landing | On a one-slot phone it replaces your UK SIM |
| Travel eSIM from this site | from £2.99 by card; from £0.95 per GB | An eSIM phone that is not locked to one operator | Data only: no calls or texts on your UK number |
Roaming prices as published by the 15 UK networks, checked on 24 October 2026; price per GB is our derivation (price ÷ GB). eSIM prices are in pounds at the day’s rate: your card is charged exactly that amount. This site is not affiliated with these networks; we sell eSIMs.
| UK network | What it charges for Sri Lanka | Condition | Checked on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sky Mobile | £2 for 24 hours; included on Sky VIP Diamond | Roaming Passport Plus; starts with a call, a text or over 10MB of data; over 25GB a billing period, £2.50/GB (Sky) | 24 October 2026 |
| EE | £8 for 24 hours with 500MB | Rest of World Zone 3; no 7-day pass; runs from purchase; no data without a pass | 24 October 2026 |
| Three | £8 a day; passes 3 days £12.50, 7 days £30, 14 days £60; included on Complete | Around the World; £8 on Lite and Lite+ taken from 18 December 2025; up to 12GB; no daily charge on PAYG (Three Go Roam) | 24 October 2026 |
| O2 | O2 Travel £7 per 24 hours; Bolt On 1GB £9, 3GB £20, 5GB £29; included on Ultimate | Zone 2, Pay Monthly; O2 Travel only on days of use, up to 2Mbps (O2 Travel) | 24 October 2026 |
| Vodafone | £8 a day of use | Zone D, pay monthly from 11 August 2021 (£6 on earlier plans) (Vodafone Charges Guide) | 24 October 2026 |
| iD Mobile | 2GB for 1 day £5, 10GB for 5 days £20, 20GB for 10 days £35 | Roam Beyond add-on, added to your plan (iD) | 24 October 2026 |
| Lebara | 1GB for 8 days £4, 3GB for 15 days £12 | Zone 5 add-on; not part of Roam Like Home (Lebara) | 24 October 2026 |
| Lyca Mobile | 1GB for 7 days £10, 2GB for 14 days £20 | pay as you go pass, from top-up credit, five in 30 days at most (Lyca) | 24 October 2026 |
| VOXI | No pass; 12p per MB from credit | Outside Global Roaming Extra (VOXI) | 24 October 2026 |
| Talkmobile | £1.20 per MB | Zone C; the World Holiday Booster covers Zone B only (Talkmobile) | 24 October 2026 |
| giffgaff | 20p per MB | Zone A; Sri Lanka is not on the travel data add-on list (giffgaff) | 24 October 2026 |
| SMARTY | 10p per MB | Roaming 1, from out-of-plan add-ons; with none loaded, data does not work (SMARTY price guide) | 24 October 2026 |
| Asda Mobile | £1 per MB | World Group 1 | 24 October 2026 |
| Tesco Mobile | £5 per MB | Region 4, pay monthly and pay as you go (Tesco) | 24 October 2026 |
| BT Mobile | No figure printed | Roaming Zone 5, not on the Travel Data Pass list; BT’s pages give conflicting rates | 24 October 2026 |
On the per-MB networks, 100MB of photo uploads costs £10 on SMARTY, £12 on VOXI, £20 on giffgaff, £100 on Asda, £120 on Talkmobile and £500 on Tesco (our arithmetic). Switch data roaming off on that line before you land.
eSIM for Sri Lanka: selected plans
The entry plan, our pick and a bigger one. “Our pick” is a mid-size plan chosen by us, not a sales ranking.
Prices are in pounds; you are charged in GBP, exactly the amount shown. The seller is registered in the United States, so your bank may apply its own rules to a payment to a seller abroad — how card payment works. It appears on your statement as JET SHARING. You pay on the secure Stripe checkout page, by card, or Apple Pay or Google Pay if Stripe shows them on your device.
What it costs per day
Plan price in pounds ÷ days, at the rate of 1 Nov. A longer plan usually costs less per day: pick by your trip length, not by the lowest daily price.
Data for a round trip: how much do you need?
Our 30-day plans cover the average Sri Lanka visit, 18.8 nights, with about 11 days to spare. Per night, 5 GB gives about 266MB (our arithmetic):
| Plan | Data per night over 18.8 nights | Data per week |
|---|---|---|
| £6.99, 5 GB, 30 days, data only | about 266MB | about 1.9 GB |
| £11.99, 10 GB, 30 days, data only | about 532MB | about 3.7 GB |
Maps, WhatsApp and photos fit 5 GB; video calls and tethering use far more. For a short break, our 7-day plan is £2.99 for 1 GB, data only.
On a UK network, each day of use adds to the bill. Our sums for 19 days:
| UK network | 19 days of use (our sum) | How |
|---|---|---|
| Lyca Mobile | £30 | three 7-day passes, 3GB in all |
| Sky Mobile | £38 | 19 passes at £2 |
| Three | £80 | one 7-day pass and four 3-day passes |
| O2 | £133 | O2 Travel, 19 days at £7 |
| EE | £152 | 19 passes at £8, 500MB each |
| Vodafone | £152 | 19 days at £8 |
Three uses passes of any length in the order you bought them, so stacked 3-day passes beat the 14-day pass. iD and Lebara do not say how add-ons stack, so we priced neither. Each sum keeps your UK number.
Our plan starts on first connection to a network in Sri Lanka, not at purchase. Install before you travel, at home over Wi-Fi (how to install an eSIM). A regional plan starts in any country it covers, so a stopover can start the clock early.
Sri Lanka tourist SIM or travel eSIM?
Sri Lanka SIM card vs eSIM comes down to your UK number. A local SIM needs a shop and your passport, and in a single-SIM phone it replaces your UK SIM, so bank and passcode texts stop. A travel eSIM installs at home on an eSIM-compatible phone and leaves your UK SIM on: ours is £11.99 for 10 GB over 30 days, data only.
You will see these local networks: 
Dialog, SLT-Mobitel and Hutch. We have not checked their visitor terms or any pocket Wi-Fi, so we quote no price and no registration step. Our plan’s catalogue entry lists Dialog and Hutchison, 4G; check 4G/5G coverage on the network’s map for where you stay.
Keeping your UK number explains dual SIM, and roaming or eSIM walks through the choice. Hotspot and tethering rules depend on the plan, so check the plan card.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice for Sri Lanka (page updated 21 September 2026, checked on 26 October 2026, GOV.UK) says:
To enter Sri Lanka, you need to apply for an ‘Electronic Travel Authorization’ (ETA) which is a form of visa.
Heavy rainfall during the inter-monsoon season has increased the risk of flooding and landslides across Sri Lanka. Disruption to transport and other services is possible.
Read the whole page on GOV.UK before you book.
Check before you fly
What if the eSIM doesn’t work when you land in Sri Lanka?
Check four settings, in this order, before you write to us.
The first is the line for mobile data. In the phone’s SIM settings, pick the travel line for mobile data; your UK line stays on for calls and texts, with its mobile data off.
The second is data roaming, for the eSIM line only. The eSIM is a foreign profile, so the phone treats Sri Lanka as roaming for it.
The third is the APN. On this plan it sets itself, so leave it alone; you don’t need to type one.
The fourth is a restart. Restart the phone or switch aeroplane mode on and off, and let it find Dialog and Hutchison; this can take a few minutes after you leave the plane.
Still no data? Write to us on WhatsApp or at support@esimworld.co.uk with your order number, or go through the no-signal checklist. Do not delete the eSIM to “try again”: a deleted profile usually cannot be installed twice from the same code. If the eSIM doesn't work and it isn't your phone's fault, we refund the payment whether or not it was installed.
What I’d choose (and when NOT to buy the eSIM)
For a week of maps, rides and messaging I’d take 1 GB for 7 days, £2.99. For two weeks or more, with photos and social media, I’d go for 5 GB for 30 days, £6.99.
I would not recommend the eSIM in three cases. If your UK plan already includes Sri Lanka and its fair use limit is enough for you, roaming costs you nothing extra and keeps your number (compare the networks). If your phone has no eSIM or is locked to one operator, it cannot take the plan: check your model first. And if your group travels together all day and shares one connection, a pocket Wi-Fi can cover everyone.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth getting an eSIM for Sri Lanka?
On most UK networks, yes, if you use data most days. 19 days of use cost £38 on Sky and £152 on EE or Vodafone (our sum), with your UK number. Our 10 GB plan is £11.99 for 30 days, data only. Three Complete, O2 Ultimate and Sky VIP Diamond include Sri Lanka.
Can I get an eSIM in Sri Lanka on arrival?
You can, but install ours at home over Wi-Fi before you fly: its days start only on first connection to a network in Sri Lanka. We have not checked what airport sellers offer.
Should I buy a Sri Lankan SIM or use an eSIM?
Use an eSIM if your UK SIM must stay on for bank texts: it installs at home and is data only. A local SIM needs a shop and your passport, and in a single-SIM phone it replaces your UK SIM.
Sources checked: UK networks: each network’s page or price guide, linked in its table row · FCDO: Sri Lanka travel advice · ONS Travel trends 2025.
Sources are linked in the text; reviewed by Nadezhda Semenova. For the terms of your own contract, check with your network.
More country guides: SIM cards and eSIMs abroad.
Unfamiliar term? See the eSIM glossary.
Get an eSIM for Sri Lanka, from £2.99 Pay by card in pounds. The seller is registered in the United States, so your bank may apply its own rules to a payment to a seller abroad. Install the profile at home on Wi-Fi before you fly. The QR code arrives by email after payment. See plans